Fan clarifies reports on Bonds "refusal to sign ball"....

[RedBean]

Looks like another case of the sports media twisting things around and painting Bonds in a negative light to influence people's perceptions. And as expected, not many outlets are running the followup or corrections to their previous misrepresentation of the facts.

The much ballyhooed "refusal" by Barry to sign the homerun ball, apparently never happened.

Carlos Oliveras, the fan who caught the ball, appeared on ESPN's Cold Pizza today and said he wanted to clarify that despite many reports, Bonds never refused to sign the ball. In fact, he said that he was more concerned with getting his picture with Bonds and got caught up in the moment and wasn't concerned with getting the ball signed. He said that in the meeting with Bonds after the news conference, he didn't ask him to sign the ball, only about taking a picture with him.

Once again, when he met with Bonds after the news conference, he asked for a pitcure, and Barry obliged. He didn't ask for an autograph, thus Barry didn't refuse.

He also concluded with saying Bonds was a great person, and a great guy, and he was thrilled with the experience of meeting him.

But then again, that isn't what many in the sports media want you to believe, so they just run with the story of the big bad wolf refusing to sign the ball, despite the actual truth running to the contrary.

Years from now, many folks will remember the story as Barry "refusing to sign the guys ball", instead of remembering the actual truth behind the events.

Funny how it works, a misrepresented story is front page news across the wire when it paints him negatively, but when the clarification comes out, it isn't in sports media's interest to divulge it.